By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
Fayette Local School students came together on Thursday, May 14, for a day of Relay for Life activities, continuing a longtime school tradition focused on service, awareness, and support for those affected by cancer.
The event was hosted by the high school student council and served as both a service project and fundraiser. Money raised through the event was set to be donated to cancer organizations that support research and related efforts.
Hilary Opdycke, who helped lead this year’s event, said Relay for Life gives students a chance to work together for a cause that has meaning throughout the school and community.
Opdycke explained that the morning portion of the day included relay style games, with students signing up through their classes. Activities included water games and other challenges, including one where students wore oven mitts while trying to open a piece of bubble gum, chew it, and blow a bubble as quickly as possible.
Students earned points for their classes throughout the day, with events scored in a style similar to a track meet. The class with the most points at the end of the day was set to earn regular rates for the remainder of the school year.
After the morning games, students took part in a lunch that had been donated for the event. Following lunch, students who had signed up to donate their hair were scheduled to have at least eight inches cut.
The donated hair was to be sent to Children With Hair Loss, an organization that provides hair replacement options for children and young adults dealing with medically related hair loss. Opdycke said two students had signed up ahead of time, though additional students sometimes decide to take part once the day arrives.
Students were then scheduled to return for a kickball tournament. Along with the games and fundraising, students also painted banners to help raise awareness and bring attention to the cause.
The Relay for Life activities have been part of Fayette’s school tradition for many years. Opdycke said she remembered taking part when she was a student and that it has continued because cancer has repeatedly affected the community.
She said the school has had students diagnosed with cancer over the years, including those whose lives were taken by the disease. Many current students also have family members who have faced cancer diagnoses, making the cause personal for much of the student body.
For Opdycke, who was leading the event for the first time this year, the day was about getting students involved in something larger than a normal school activity. She said it was exciting to see students come together near the end of the school year and use their time and talents for one cause.
Opdycke said the event helps students think beyond themselves while taking part in something meaningful for their school, their families, and the broader community.